The Toronto Region Board of Trade is calling on the Ontario government to introduce a vaccine passport system for non-essential business activity with board president and CEO Jan De Silva claiming proof of vaccination is the only way to safely reopen larger events like business conferences and to help revive tourism.

“The EU as of July 1 has gone live with the digital pass, and the reason why we’re so pro using that tool is that we’ve worked so hard and our small businesses have gone through multiple lockdowns that have had a devastating affect to them,” said De Silva. “Now that we’ve got sufficient vaccine, it’s a way to start resuming a more normal form of day-to-day living.”

She said it’s a personal decision to get vaccinated but accessing major events and indoor dining requires moral responsibility.

The board of trade says it is having discussions with the Ontario premier’s office about introducing a such a system, with De Silva suggesting that a digital proof-of-vaccinations system could look similar to one implemented in Europe and some Asian countries, where people’s information is protected and anonymized, but can easily be displayed on a phone.

Not all provinces are cozy to the idea. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has said the province will not be issuing vaccine passports. However, Quebec has signalled it may require vaccine passports for non-essential activities by September and Manitoba is issuing vaccine cards to fully immunized people.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that decisions around domestic vaccine passports will be up to the provinces, noting that the federal government’s responsibility lies in standardizing proof-of-vaccination for international travel.

“In terms of domestic reflections (of vaccine passports) that’s something the provinces themselves will establish as what is right for them,” said the PM.